Pork Shoulder Resting Time

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uberhack

Fire Starter
Original poster
Oct 26, 2009
52
10
Longmont, CO
Hi Gang.

I have a nice shoulder finishing in the oven right now. Big thanks to meowey and his guide in the Pork Sticky section. My house smells incredible!

My question is, how long can I leave it to rest wrapped up in the foil-towels-cooler stage?

I'm not sure I'll be able to pull it until morning. Any harm in leaving it wrapped up for a while?

Thanks in advance.
 
As long as it don't fall below 140*, you should be fine. I have left meat wrapped titely packed in a cooler for 6hrs.

If you was doing it during the day, and warm out, you can put the packed cooler in side a black trash bag and it will hold temp real well, I have had the inside of the cooler raise temp when doing this on hot days.
 
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Like smoke says you can leave the meat in the cooler for hours. I have left a prime rib 4 bone rack in a cooler of almost 5 hours but it came out almost 140°ish. Thats the magic number and if you are going leave it in the cooler for a while leave a thremo probe in the meat and make sure and pack the towels in there tightly too.
 
When I smoke pork butts for use on another day, I'll let the butt rest (foil wrapped and toweled) in the cooler for a couple of hours. I'll then pull the meat and put it in some gallon zip top bags if I'm using it the next day; or I'll seal it up in some gallon foodsaver bags if it's going into the freezer.  Easy to reheat in a pot of boiling water or dump it into a baking dish and heat it up in the micro wave.

I wouldn't rely on the cooler for overnight holding.  For over night holding what I do is while the butt is still HOT-set your oven to it lowest setting (mine goes as low at 170°) place the hot foil wrapped butt in a baking dish and place it into the oven.  Remember to keep an eye on the internal temps.
 
icon_cool.gif


Like smoke says you can leave the meat in the cooler for hours. I have left a prime rib 4 bone rack in a cooler of almost 5 hours but it came out almost 140°ish. Thats the magic number and if you are going leave it in the cooler for a while leave a thremo probe in the meat and make sure and pack the towels in there tightly too.
Good advise, thanks Mark.
 
 
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